Needle-vibrating mechanism for sewing machines



Jan. 19-, 1943.

- w. MYERS NEEDLE-VIBRATING MECHANISM FOR SEWINQ MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Eiled Oct. 17, 1949 21 waiter myers JanQlQ, 1943.. w. MYERS 2,308,707

NEEDLE-VIBRATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed 00%;. 17, 1940 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Walter m yors Patented Jan. 19, 1943 N EEDLE-VIBRATIN G MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Walter Myers, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company,

Elizabeth,

N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application October 17, 1940, Serial No. 361,522

14 Claims.

This invention relates to needle-vibrating mechanisms of sewing machines and is adapted for use in connection with needle-feed devices and also in connection with certain types of zigzag stitching and embroidering machines.

The object of the invention is to provide a needle-vibrating mechanism particularly adapted for high-speed operation and facilitating assembling of the parts thereof in a sewing' machine, as well as providing for taking up wear.

The invention consists in the vibratory needlebar frame and its supporting and actuating mechanism, in combination with the needlereciprocating mechanism as hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 represents a view in front side elevation and in vertical section of the bracket-armhead portion of a sewing machine containing the improved needle-vibrating mechanism, the presserfoot being broken away. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the bracket-arm head of the machine. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section of the connections between the needle-bar frame and its actuating crank-arm, the section being taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal section of the needle-bar frame on substantially the line 44 of Fig. 1.

In the sewing machine illustrated in the drawings, the needle reciprocating and vibrating mechanisms are relatively timed to impart workfeeding movements to the needles carried by the needle-bar, i. e., the needles are reciprocated to penetrate the work and are then vibrated rearwardly, while in the work, to feed the work. The needles then rise and are vibrated forwardly while free of the "work.

Referring to the drawings, the sewing machine shown has a tubular bracket-arm Ill terminating in a hollow head I l.. Suitably attached to the front end portion of the bracket-arm head II is a removable face-plate l2.

Rotatably journaled in a ball-bearing 13 in the bracket-arm is one end portion of a rotary actuating or needle-reciprocating shaft l4 extending horizontally lengthwise of the bracketarm. Disposed below the needle-reciprocating shaft l4 and parallel thereto is a needle-feed rock-shaft 15 having one end thereof journaled in a bearing-bushing l6 adjustably secured by a screw I! in an aperture in a transverse wall N3 of the bracket-arm. The opposite ends of the shafts l4 and 15 are journaled in the bracketarm ID in any suitable manner, and said shafts may be actuated by any suitable means, as for example in the manner disclosed in my prior U. S. Patent No. 2,128,031, August 23, 1938.

The end of the needle-reciprocating shaft I4 in the bracket-arm head II carries a counter- Weighted crank-disk l9 secured upon the shaft 14 by screws, as 28. Preferably, a spacing collar 2| is provided upon the shaft 14 between the crank-disk l9 and the ball-bearing IS, the latter being disposed in a suitably recessed portion of the bracket-arm wall iii. The crank-disk I9 is provided with a crank-pin 22 projecting from the crank-disc at the face-plate I2 side thereof.

The crank-pin 22 is operatively connected to a needle-reciprocating link 23 and, to this end, the upper portion of the link 23 is provided with a split strap 24 embracing a ball-bearing 25 interposed between the link-strap 24 and the crankpin 22. The split strap 24 of the link is adjustably tightened upon the ball-bearing by a screw 26.

At its lower end, the link 23 is provided with a boss 21 apertured transversely of the length of the link to receive a pivot-stud 28 secured by a set-screw 29 upon the upper end of a needle-bar 3D. The lower portion of the link-boss 27 is provided with the usual slot 3| affording the requisite clearance for pivotal movements of the link 23. At its lower end, the needle-bar 30 carries one or more needles 32 secured to the needle-bar in any usual or suitable manner.

The needle-bar 30 is journaled for endwise reciprocation in a Vertically apertured bearinglug 33 offset laterally from the lower end of a swinging frame 34. The upper end of the frame 34 has a boss 35 offset laterally from the frame at the same side thereof as the lug 33, thereby overhanging said lug 33 and the needle-reciprocating crank. The frame-boss 35 has a transverse conical aperture 33 receiving the tapered head 37 of a horizontal pivot-stud 38 disposed in an aperture 39 of a bushing 40 and in parallelism with the needle-reciprocating shaft I4. The pivot-stud 38 has a flat l! engaged by a set-screw 42 threaded into the bushing 40, whereby the pivot-stud is endwise adjustably secured in the bushing 49. The upper end of the swinging frame 34 is held by the pivot-stud 31, 38 in engagement with the end face of the bushing 4|), whereby the upper end of said frame may be accurately positioned and is guided in its swinging movements. The set-screw 42 extends through an enlarged aperture 53 in the top of the bracket-arm head, thereby permitting limited adjustment of the bushing 40 lengthwise of the in the bushing. This arrangement provides for properly positioning the swinging frame 34 laterally when initially assembling the parts, after which the bushing may be fixedly secured in set position by means of a stud-screw 44. The adjustability of the pivot-stud 38 in the bushing 40 also provides for taking up wear between the frame-boss 35 and the tapered head of the pivotstud 38.

It will be observed from Fig. 2 of the drawings that the pivotal axis of the swinging frame 34 is disposed above the rotation axis of the needlereciprocating shaft l4, whereby the lower end of said frame may attain in maximum amplitude of vibration with a minimum angular movement of the frame 34. The pivotal axis of the to the crank-disk IS. The crank-arm 52 is apertured coaxially with the axis of rotation of the needle-reciprocating shaft [4 to receive a studpin 53 extending centrally from a needle-thread take-up disk 54 rotatably disposed in an opening 55 in the face-plate l2. The stud-pin 53 is secured by set-screws 53' to the crank-arm 52, thereby providing for adjustment of the take-up disk 54. Attached to the take-up disk 54, by pairs of thread-engaging studs 56 and 51 are additional take-up disks 58 and 59 spaced from each other and from the disk 54, whereby one of swinging frame 34 is also disposed substantially in the vertical plane containing the rotation axis of the shaft l4, and the median line of swinging movement of the frame 34 is also contained in said plane. Still further, the head 31 of the pivot-stud 33 overhangs the needle-reciprocating crank, thereby minimizing torsional stresses upon the frame. The arrangement described therefore provides a well-balanced mechanism particularly adapted for high speed operation.

To accommodate the described arrangement, the swinging frame 34 is provided intermediate its ends with an opening 45 through which extends the spacing collar 2l upon the needle-reciprocating shaft [4, suflicient clearance being provided between the collar 2| and the frame 34 to permit of the swinging movements of the frame. It will therefore be understood that, intermediate its ends, the frame 34 is disposed between the crank-disk l9 and the ball-bearing l3 of the needle-reciprocating shaft 14, i. e., the plane of vibration of the frame 34 intersects the shaft l4 at the side of the crank-disk I9 opposite to the crank-pin 22. v

The lower portion of the swinging frame 34, adjacent to the frame-lug 33, is provided with a downwardly open slot 46 extending lengthwise of the frame 34. Slidably disposed in the slot 45 is a pivot-block 4'! which is horizontally apertured to pivotally receive a crank-stud 48. The crank-stud 48 is adjustably secured by a setscrew 49 in an aperture provided in the free end portion of a crank-arm 50 depending from the needle-feed rock-shaft l5, the crank-arm 50 being suitably secured to said rock-shaft and bearing against one end of the shaft-bushing IS.

The proximate faces of the crank-arm 59 and the swinging frame 34 are flattened and disposed in sliding engagement, and the opposite flattened face of the frame 34 is slidingly engaged by the flattened head'5l of the crank-stud 48. The swinging frame 34 is thus confined at its lower end against lateral movement parallel to the pivotal-axis of the frame solely by the connections of said frame with the crank-arm 50, thereby eliminating the necessity of providing a guide for the swinging frame upon the machine frame and obviating any difficulty in accurately assembling the parts. In order to take up wear, the rock-shaft l5 and the bushing l6 may be adjusted endwise, and the crank-stud 48 may be adjusted to properly confine the frame 34 between the crank-arm 59 and the crank-stud head 5!.

In the present machine, the needle-reciprocating crank-pin 22 carries a crank-arm 52 disposed at the side of the needle-link 23 opposite the needle-threads may be passed between the disks 54 and 58 for engagement by the studs 56, and the other needle-thread may be passed between the disks 58 and 59 for engagement by the studs 5?. Suitable guard-plates 50 and BI are provided upon the face-plate l2 for the take-up disks.

The disposition of the needle-bar vibrating frame 34 as hereinbefore described is therefore particularly well adapted for use in combination with a sewing machine having a rotary needlethread take-up, inasmuch as said frame 34 is disposed at one side and the take-up crank is disposed at the opposite side of the needle-reciprocating crank.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. In a sewing machine, a horizontally disposed rotary actuating shaft, a crank-member carried by said shaft, an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle-bar, operative connections with and disposed at one side of said crank-member for imparting endwise reciprocatory movements to said needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled for endwise reciprocation, a fulcrum for said frame disposed above and axially extending substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said shaft, said frame being disposed for vibratory movements in a plane at the side of said crank member opposite to said operative connections of the crank-member with said needle-bar, and actuating connections with said frame for imparting vibratory movements thereto.

2. In a sewing machine, a horizontally disposed rotary actuating shaft, a crank-member carried by said shaft, an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle-bar, operative connections with and disposed at one side of said crank-member for imparting endwise reciprocatory movements to said needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled and having its fulcrum-axis disposed above and -11]. substantially the vertical plane containing the axis of rotation of said shaft, said frame having vibratory movements in a plane transverse to said vertical plane and disposed at the side of said crank-member opposite to said operative connections of said crank-member with said needle-bar, and actuating connections with said frame for imparting vibratory movements thereto.

3. Needle-vibrating mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a rotary actuating shaft, a vibratory frame, a needle-bar journaled in said frame for endwise reciprocation, operative connections with said shaft for imparting endwise reciprocatory movements to said needle-bar, a tapered pivot-stud upon which said frame is hung, a bushing supporting said pivot-stud and disposed to guide said frame in the swinging movements thereof, means for securing said pivot-stud for endwise adjustment in said bushin thereby to take up wear in the pivotal support of said frame, means for securing said bushing in endwise adjusted position, and actuating connections with said frame for imparting vibratory movements thereto.

4. Needle-vibrating mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a rotary actuating shaft, a needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled for endwise reciprocation, operative connections with said shaft for reciprocating said needle-bar, said frame having an opening through which said shaft extends with sufficient clearance to permit of swinging movements of said frame, pivotal supporting means providing a fulcrum-axis for said frame spaced from and disposed substantially parallel to said shaft, and operative connections with said frame for imparting vibratory movements thereto.

5. Needle-vibrating mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled for endwise reciprocation, means for reciprocating said needle-bar, a pivotal support for said frame, a crank-arm having a fulcrum-axis substantially parallel to the pivotal-axis of said frame, operative connections with said crank-arm for vibrating said frame, opposed guides carried by said crank-arm and slidingly confining said frame therebetween against movement parallel to the pivotal-axis of said frame, and means for actuating said crank-arm.

6. Needle-vibrating mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled for endwise reciprocation, means for reciprocating said needle-bar, a pivotal support for said frame, a crank-arm having a fulcrum-axis substantially parallel to the pivotal-axis of said frame, said crank-arm and frame having slidingly engaged proximate faces, a crank-stud carried by said crank-arm and pivotally connected to said frame, guiding means carried by said crank-stud and opposed to the frame-engaging face of said crank-arm for confining said frame therebetween, and means for actuating said crank-arm.

7. Needle-vibrating mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled for endwise reciprocation, means for reciprocating said needle-bar, a pivotal support for said frame,

a crank-arm having a fulcrum-axis substantially parallel to the pivotal-axis of said frame, a crank-stud carried by said crank-arm and operatively connected to said frame for imparting vibratory movements thereto, said crank-stud i having a flattened head in engagement with the side of said frame opposite to said crank-arm, securing means providing for endwise adjustment of said crank-stud, thereby to slidingly confine said frame between said crank-arm and crank-stud head, and means for rocking said crank-arm.

8. In a sewing machine having a bracket-arm, a rotary actuating shaft journaled in said bracket-arm, a vibratory frame, a needle-bar journaled in said frame for endwise reciprocation, operative connections with said shaft for reciprocating said needle-bar, a pivotal support for said frame upon said bracket-arm confining said frame against lateral movement in opposite directions lengthwise of the pivotal-axis of the frame, a rock-shaft journaled in said bracketarm, and connections with said rock-shaft for vibrating said frame, including guiding means confining said frame against lateral movement in opposite directions lengthwise of said rockshaft.

9. In a sewing machine having a bracket-arm, a rotary actuat'mg shaft journaled in said bracket-arm, a vibratory frame, a needle-bar journaled in said frame for endwise reciprocation, operative connections with said shaft for reciprocating said needle-bar, a pivotal support for said frame upon said bracket-arm confining said frame against lateral movement in opposite directions lengthwise of the pivotal-axis of the frame, a bushing secured in said bracket-arm for endwise adjustment, a rock-shaft journaled in said bushing and disposed substantially parallel to said rotary actuating shaft, a crank-arm carried by said rock-shaft and confined by said bushing against movement in one direction lengthwise of the rock-shaft, and operative connections for Vibrating said frame from said crank-arm, including guiding means carried by said crankarm for confining said frame against lateral movement in opposite directions lengthwise of said rock-shaft.

10. In a sewing machine having a bracketarm, a vibratory frame, a needle-bar journaled in said frame for endwise reciprocation, means for reciprocating said needle-bar, a pivotal support upon said bracket-arm for said frame providing for adjustment of said frame axially of said pivotal support, means for securing said pivotal support in set position, actuating connections with said frame including vibratory opposed guides confining said frame therebetween, and means providing for lateral adjustment of said guides.

11. In a sewing machine having a bracketarm, a vibratory frame, a needle-bar journaled in said frame for endwise reciprocation, means for reciprocating said needle-bar, a pivotal-support for said frame, actuating connections with said frame including opposed guides normally confining said frame against lateral movement parallel to the pivotal axis of said frame, means providing for unison adjustment of said guides in the frame-guiding relation thereof, and means providing for adjustment of said guides relative to each other.

12. In a sewing machine, a rotary actuating shaft, a crank-member carried by said shaft, an endwise reciprocatory needle-bar, operative connections with said crank-member for reciprocating said needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled for endwise reciprocation, said frame having vibratory movements in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of said shaft and at one side of said crank, means for vibrating said'frame, a rotary needlethread take-up member having its axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of said shaft, said take-up member being disposed at the side of said crank opposite to said frame, and operative connections with said shaft for rotating said take-up member.

13. In a sewing machine, a rotary actuating shaft, a crank-member carried by said shaft, an

endwise reciprocatory needle-bar, operative connections with said crank-member for reciprocating said needle-bar, a vibratory frame in which said needle-bar is journaled for endwise reciprocation, means for vibrating said frame, an arm carried by said crank-member having an aperture coaxial with said shaft, a rotary needlethread take-up member having a stud disposed in said aperture, and releasable means for securing said stud to said arm.

eral movement away from said bushing, means for securing said pivot-stud for endwise adjustment in said bushing, means independent of the pivot-stud securing means for securing said bushing in set position upon said bracket-arm, and means for vibrating said frame.

WALTER MYERS. 

